Lens vs Nice Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 French Ligue 1
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
We have a fascinating clash on Saturday in Ligue 1 up in the north as Will Still’s impressive Lens side welcome a Nice team coached by Franck Haise, who departed Lens for Nice over the summer.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 28th September, 2024 - UK – 4:00pm / US ET – 11:00am / US PT – 8:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Ligue 1 pass / US – beIN Sports
LENS PREVIEW: ADJUSTING LENS
In the last few seasons, Lens have been one of the best teams in France and finished as runners’ up, just two points behind Paris Saint-Germain, in the 2022/23 campaign. Haise’s departure was always a big one to deal with but English-Belgian coach Will Still has begun the task well.
Despite elimination at the hands of Panathinaikos in the playoffs of the UEFA Europa Conference League last month, the home team have remained strong domestically and are one of four teams to remain unbeaten after five matches alongside the aforementioned PSG as well as Olympique de Marseille and Monaco.
NICE PREVIEW: IMPROVING NICE
Nice had a slow start to the season after the INEOS-owned club got to grips with the management of Franck Haise but as we head into the second month of the season, things have improved a fair bit with the southerners now coming into this one in what would be described as ‘scary’ form for their opposition.
In midweek, they shared a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad at the Allianz Riviera in the south of France to kick off their UEFA Europa League campaign. That reasonable result followed on from an absolute annihilation of Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 last weekend in which they destroyed the newly-promoted giants by eight goals to nil.
LENS TEAM NEWS: THE FORMULA OF FRANK
Will Still has been willing to switch between systems in the past but he has stuck with the 3-5-2/3-4-3 system that served Haise so well at Lens in recent years.
He is dealing with a few injury issues for this one as Kevin Danso remains unavailable for Lens alongside Jimmy Cabot as well as attacker Martin Satriano.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-1-2): Samba; Gradit, Khusanov, Medina; Frankowski, Thomasson, Diouf, Jhoanner Chavez; Zaroury; Sotoca, Lascary
UNAVAILABLE: Danso (Injured), Cabot (Injured), Satriano (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
NICE TEAM NEWS: ATTACKING ISSUES
As mentioned, Haise’s preferred system has always been with the back three and he has stuck with that for this weekend but they do have a few key injury issues in attack.
As well as midfielder Morgan Sanson, Nice also have several forward absentees such as Jeremie Boga, Mohamed-Ali Cho, Gaetan Laborde and Terem Moffi.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Bulka; Ndayishimiye, Moise Bombito, Dante; Clauss, Rosario, Ndombele, Bard; Diop, Moukoko, Guessand
UNAVAILABLE: Sanson (Injured), Boga (Injured), Laborde (Injured), Cho (Injured), Moffi (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
LENS VS NICE PREDICTION
Both of these sides will be aiming for a top four finish this season as their absolute goal and UEFA Champions League qualification as a result. Lens’ issue so far has been a lack of goals with just five scored in their opening five games. Nice had notched six in four before whacking eight past Saint-Etienne but Lens, obviously, are a lot more solid and experienced than a poor ASSE side. A low-scoring and tight affair between two seemingly evenly matched sides seems likely here.
LENS VS NICE TIP: UNDER 2.5 GOALS
